Adjustable cutter for sewing machines



Jan. 10, 1933. A. M. WENZEL 1,894,013

ADJUSTABLE CUTTER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet v1 Bmaentor 43.21. VVZwzeZ Jan. 10, 1933. v A. M. WENZEL ADJUSTABLE CUTTER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gttorneg Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES ANNA M. WENZEL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK v ADJUSTABLE corrEn'EoR SEWING MACHINES Application filed August 26, 1929. Serial No. 388,362.

- This invention relates to cutters for sewing machines and has for its object to provide an adjustable cutter which is simple 1n construction and more efficient in use than those heretofore proposed.

- With these and other objects in view the invention consistsin the novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts as will be more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in WlllCll like numerals designate like parts in all the views. Fig. 1 is a front elevational viewv of the head of a sewing machine to which this ,invention has been applied; t

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the parts shown in Fig. 1; a n

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ad ustable cutter device forming the subject matter of this invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View .of the cutter taken as on the line 44 of Fig. 2

I and looking in the direction of the arrows,

parts of the sewing machine having been eliminated from this view for the sake of clearness;

Fig.5 is a composite view showing the component partsof the adjustable cutting device; and

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view illustrating a modified form of mounting for the cuttingblade,'said viewtaken as on thellne 6 '6 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows. r I

In the drawings 1 isthe pulley wheel deriving power from a suitable source not shown but well understood in the art, said wheel being mounted at one end of a shaft on the sewing machine. At the extremity of the long arm of said leveris alink 7 forming a pivotal connection between said lever and the needle bar 8, the latter operating as usual in suitable guides in the headstock 9 of thesew ing machine. The headstock also carries in suitable guides a slidable rod 10 the lower end of which is provided with screw threads engaged by a nut 11 adapted to clamp in place the usualpresser foot,-not shown with which sewing machines are provided. This invention contemplates a combined adjustable cutter and presser foot replacing the usual presser foot.

That is to say, and with particular reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that there is provided a piece of steel or other suitable metal constituting the presser foot 15, one end of which is slightly upturned as indicated at 16 to guide the material to a position between the presser foot and the throat plate 17 all as will be readily understood. The opposite end of the presser foot is upwardly and reversely bent to provide an overhanging parallel portion 18 which has a slot 19 extending transversely thereof from an edge to the middle of said portion, the slot havinga width permitting engaging entry of the threaded lower end of the presser foot rod 10. In other words, as will be readily understood from the drawings this improved presser foot is adapted to be slipped onto the lower end of the rod therefor and clamped in position by the nut 11. V I

The presser footis provided on its upper surface with a transverse groove 20, and one longitudinal side of the presser foot is cut away from said groove to the end 16 to provide a space indicated at 21 to be occupied by a portion of the cutter support, the usual needle aperture 22 being provided in the'forwardly extending portionof the presserfoot. The cutter support comprises an L-shaped piece of metal, one end of which 23 constitutes a positioning means and which is of a width to slidingly engage the groove 20 of the presser foot, and this said end is provided with an elongated slot 24 extending longitudinally thereof adapted to receive a set screw 25 by means of which the cutter support may be adjustably positioned with -respect to the presser foot, said set screw engaging a thread- 7 ed aperture 26 in said foot.

The other end of the cutter support comprises the extension 30 having an elongated slot 31' therein adapted to be engaged by the cutter slide 32 provided with a threaded aperture to receive a clamping screw 33. The cutter slide has a narrow slot 34 extending therethrough to receive the cutter having the sharp edge 36 at its lower end. In assembling the device, the cutter is passed through the slot 34 in the cutter slide which in turn is inserted in theslotway 31 of the cutter support and the clamping screw 33 is then applied to secure these members together. \Vith particular reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the cutter slide is provided with a head of a dimension greater than the slot 31 whereby the insertion or removal of the cutter 35 will not cause the dismemberment of the parts 30 and 32. The clamping screw33 has a head also larger than the slot 31 and thus it will be seen that when the clamping screw is tightened the head 40 will securely clamp the cutter against the side of its support 80. When the cutter support is attached to the presser foot the undersurfaces of both will lie in the same plane thereby permitting a smooth and uninterrupted feed to the material to be operated upon.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that the cutter is mounted in a vertical plane which can be shifted to different positions by means of the set screw 25 and the elongated slot 24 engaged by the same. In other words, the cutter can be moved to the left or to the right as seen in Figs. 1 and 4 with respect to the needle. It will also be seen that the cutter is adjustably movable to the front or to the rear of the needle due to the elongated slot 31 engaged by the cutter slide 32, so that the material may be cut at different distances with respect to the needle. This is greatly to be desired, especially in the hat sewing industry where the brims are to be trimmed with respect to the line of stitching. In Fig. 1 there is shown in dotted lines a portion of a hat supported by a gauge member 45, and from this view it will be understood perfectly the functioning of the cutter. The'cutter can be readily moved from operative position by loosening the clamping screw 33. raising the cutter above the plane of the bottom of the presser foot and then tightening said screw, or the entire cutter support may be removed from the presser foot by unscrewing the set screw 25, all as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 6 which is a view taken as on the line 66 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, there will be seen a modification of the cutter slide. In other words this slide is rovided with a slot the ends of which are so ormed that the cutter 35 may be inserted and secured therein in different angular positions which cross each other. That is to say, the ends of said slot are formed with plane portions having a vertical distance therebetween equal to the width of the cutter 35 but which present intersecting angles to each other so that the cutter when inserted in one position will extend rearwardly with respect to the needle and when inserted in its other position it will extend forwardly with respect to the needle. Stated in other words, the slide 32 is provided with a cruciform slot, or one having an X-shaped cross-section. With the modified form of construction just described, the cutter maybe inserted in the position shown in Fig. 3 when the material to be cut is of heavy nature, like felt, so that the material will be forced by the cutting edge 36 downwardly against the immovable throatplate 17. On the other hand, when the material 'to be cut is of light nature the cutter may be inserted in its other position whereupon the material will be forced bv'the cutting edge upwardly against the underside of the presser foot. y

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not desired to be limited to the foregoing except as may be demanded bv the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot; a cutter support mounted thereon; a slide adjustably mounted on said support; and a cutter mounted in said slide.

2. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot; a cutter support mounted thereon for lateral adjustment; a slide adjustably mounted on said support for longitudinal movement with respect to said presser foot; and a cutter mounted in said slide. 3. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot having a cut-away portion on one lateral side thereof; a cutter support mounted on said presser foot and occupying said cut-away portion; a slide adjustably mounted on said support; and a cutter mounted in said slide.

4. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot; a cutter; and a cutter support slidably mounted on the presser foot for adjustment with respect to said presser foot transversely of the line of stitching.

5. In a. sewing machine the combination of a presser foot, and a cutter carried thereby. the cutter mounted for adjustment with respect to said presser foot both longitudinally and transversely of the line of stitching.

6. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot; a cutter support transversely adjustable thereon said support having an angular extension substantially parallel to said presser foot; and a cutter adjustable in the extension of said support longitudinallyof the presser foot.

7. In a sewing machine the combination of a presser foot; a cutter support transversely adjustable thereon said support having'an off-set extension provided with a slot; a slide disposed in the slot of said support; and a cutter-adjustable in said slide.

8. In a sewing machine the combination of a resser foot; a cutter support transversely adjustable thereon said support having an 0E- set extension provided with a slot; a slide disposed in the slot of said support, said slide having a cruciform slot; and a cutter adapted to fit said cruciform slot.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ANNA M. WENZEL. 

